Stupid Case File for March 11, 2006

Cheating the Government ... Part One

A man who claimed nearly £23,000 on the grounds that he could barely walk was eventually exposed as an accomplished half-marathon runner, a court was told yesterday.

Stephen Sinnott, 49, was a regular on the athletics circuit for more than a decade. But, unknown to those struggling to keep pace with him in races, he was telling the Department for Work and Pensions that he could not walk more than 45 yards and needed help dressing and preparing meals.

Stephen Sinnott [left] is caught on surveillance film running

He also claimed to suffer from a number of ailments, including panic attacks.

His secret life as a fraudster was finally uncovered when investigators, acting on a tip-off, filmed him during a 10-mile training run from a leisure centre in Liverpool. Immediately afterwards he was seen jogging the additional mile to where he had parked his Motability car.

Further investigations revealed that Sinnott, a member of the Penny Lane Striders running club in the city, had been competing in a variety of events since 1996.

In 1998 he completed a five-mile race in Altrincham, Cheshire, in 32 minutes 41 seconds, while in the Birchwood 10k he was only two minutes behind the winner.

The following year he was fit enough to finish the Sheffield Marathon in a creditable 3hrs 28 mins 35 secs. He crossed the line in 112th place.

Yesterday at Liverpool Crown Court, Sinnott, from Kirkdale, pleaded guilty to two counts of false accounting and one of failing to notify the DWP of a change in circumstances.

He asked for 234 other counts of false accounting to be considered and will be sentenced on March 22.

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